DIY Pearls with Edge

The pearl has gone super sassy! We are seeing bold, punky pearl jewelry designs on fashion runways and in designer collections these days. So, I thought I would highlight some DIY pearl jewelry ideas with a bit of edge in honor of MiShel's Pearls, Pearls, Pearls blog hop going on today.

 
Pearls and Leather Earrings

I love the look of pearls and leather together. These earrings are quick and easy to make for gifts or for yourself. I also love how this earring project uses crimp cord ends in a unique way, adding an urban chic look to these.

Pearls and Leather Earrings 

Erin Siegel 

Materials:  

12 silver 6mm potato fresh-water pearls 

2 copper 7x6mm rice fresh-water pearls 

2 antique silver-plated 12x6.5mm pewter crimp cord ends 

14 sterling silver 2” headpins 

6” of Black 2mm leather cord 

1 pair of sterling silver ear wires 

Tools:  

Wire cutters 

Chain nose pliers 

Round nose pliers 

Scissors

Instructions:  

1: Use 1 headpin to string 1 silver pearl; make a wrapped loop, making sure to make a loop large enough to string onto the leather. Repeat 5 more times. Use 1 headpin to string 1 copper pearl; make a wrapped loop, again, making sure that your loop in large enough to fit on the leather.  

2: Cut the leather piece in half. Using one 3” piece of leather, string 3 silver pearl dangles, the copper pearl dangle and 3 silver pearl dangles. 

3: Bring the leather ends together and insert them into the crimp end finding. Crimp the crimp end with chain nose pliers. Attach an ear wire to the loop of the crimp end finding. Repeat steps to make the second earring. 

Resources: 

Ear wires: Miss Fickle Media. Leather and crimp ends: Artbeads.com.

 Tattered Silk Necklace 

 Tompkins Tassel Bracelet

from my e-book, Punk Chic Jewelry

For more edgy designs, including how to make the Tattered Silk Necklace and the Tompkins Tassel Bracelet above, check out Punk Chic Jewelry: 16 DIY Jewelry Projects to Add an Urban Edge to Your Wardrobe available through Amazon.com. DIY kits for all the jewelry projects in the book are available now at Ornamentea.com.

Happy creating and thanks for stopping by. I can't wait to see what my co-creatives are making with pearls. If you've created something with pearls, add your link below:

An InLinkz Link-up

Punk Chic Jewelry Kits Available Now!

Kits for the projects in Punk Chic Jewelry are available now at Ornamentea.com. There is a kit for each jewelry project. The kits come with all the materials you need, plus full step-by-step instructions are included! You do not need the e-book to buy a kit. Some kits are selling fast. These are limited edition. Once they are gone, they are gone. I would highlight a few favorites for you, but I really love them all!

Shop all the jewelry kits here.

Layered Evil Eye Necklace DIY TUTORIAL

Evil eye jewelry as become a very popular trend in the last year. The ancient symbol has been popping up in jewelry lines all around the world and many celebrities have been spotted wearing the protective talisman. According to ancient beliefs, the evil eye symbol provides protection against negative energy from others, whether it be intentional or unintentional. The symbol has been found in many cultures, starting in Greece and Rome thousands of years ago. An evil eye amulet or talisman is believed to ward off negative vibes from the envious eyes of others, protecting the wearer's physical and emotional well being. I can see why so many have been latching on to the idea. Who couldn't get behind that concept?

Layered Evil Eye Necklace
by Erin Siegel designed for OandN Craft Supplies

The ancient symbol of protection is paired with authentic Greek ceramic beads, findings and leather. This modern, multiple strand necklace gives you a stylish layered look in one easy piece.

Materials:
26 matte turquoise Greek ceramic 5mm rounds
1 gold plated enamel evil eye charm/pendant
1 18K gold plated curved tube bead
1 set of 18K gold plated cord ends
1 18K gold plated lobster clasp
1 gold plated 6mm jump ring
2 gold plated 4mm jump rings
50" of dark brown 1.5mm Greek leather cord

Tools:
Pair of chain nose pliers
Scissors
Ruler
E 6000 adhesive

Instructions:
1: Cut the leather cord into two 16" pieces and one 18" piece. Set aside. Attach one 4mm jump ring to the lobster clasp. Attach the other 4mm jump ring to the previous jump ring. Set aside. Attach the 6mm jump ring to the evil eye pendant. Set aside.

2: Use both 16" leather cords to string the tube bead to the center of the cords as shown. Set aside. Use the 18" leather cord to string 13 turquoise rounds, the jump ring on the pendant and 13 turquoise rounds to the center of the cord as shown. Set side.

3: Fill one cord end half-full of glue. Insert one end of all three cords into the cord end. Let dry. Repeat entire step for the other side of the necklace. Attach the the lobster clasp to the loop of one cord end as shown.

Resources:
Greek ceramic rounds, evil eye pendant, tube bead, cord ends and clasp: O and N Craft Supplies. Greek leather cord: Ornamentea.com

I love Greek beads and leather. I've been using them in my designs for years. So, when Tina from O and N Craft Supplies contacted me about creating a project and tutorial for them, I said yes right away. Located in Athens, Greece, O&N Craft Supplies carries a nice selection of Greek ceramic beads, metal findings, enamel charms and pendants as well as a tantalizing selection of cords and stringing materials. Ooo...Yummy. I receive my order quickly despite the supplies were traveling all the way to the US from Greece. I knew I would love the Greek ceramic beads I ordered. What surprised me was how much I fell in love with the gold plated findings and the enamel pendant.

The enamel evil eye pendant is gorgeous. It's beautifully made, excellent quality. I love the weight of it. I also love the gold plated tube bead, cord ends and lobster clasp. The findings are sturdy. I like the heftiness of them. The metal is thick, not thin or flimsy at all. The 18K gold plating seems to be done well, too. Overall, I'm extremely happy with the materials I received from O&N Craft Supplies. I will most certainly be back to sample some of their other items, especially the luscious cording. I also love that I can get my favorite Greek beads straight from Greece!

Visit O&N:
www.oandn.etsy.com
www.oandncraftsupplies.com

Oh how I would love to travel to Greece someday. This inspiration board from a new blog I recently discovered, Smart n Snazzy, brings me there just a little...

Inspired by Greece by smartnsnazzy featuring mediterranean home decor

Happy creating!   

Boston Bead Company

I'm so lucky to have a bead shop in the town I live in! I think I must have made that an unconscious priority when considering where we would live. The two consecutive towns I've lived in for the past 10 years have both had bead shops in them and I've been intimately involved with both in one way or other. I mean, what jewelry designer fortunate enough, wouldn't want a relationship with their local bead shop? I know that's something I've always been passionate about.

I recently made a connection with the owner of Boston Bead Company, Carson Eddy. She has two gorgeous store locations in Massachusetts. One in Cambridge and one in Salem, where I live. Carson's shop is beautiful and well stocked with findings, components and beads. She holds exciting events, like bead trunk shows and also features local bead artisans, like my friend Keith O'Connor. Her staff is friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Oh, and the classes rock! I've taken several classes here. I regularly fall in love with the projects they select to offer.

Recently, Carson graciously invited me to celebrate the local Salem Arts Festival with them by hosting a book signing for my book, Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry and offering to have me teach a class as well! I'm so honored and grateful that she extended this invitation. I didn't waste any time saying "Yes!". Since our initial email contact, I've enjoyed several meetings with Carson and her staff while we were planning the book signing event and the class. Carson is so friendly, inviting and easy to talk to, as is her team of employees. It was a pure joy to work with them. I couldn't be happier with this collaborative event and every effort that was made to make it a success!

Although, I wished more local people would have come out to our events, I loved meeting and chatting up the few folks that did come. I was content to just put myself out there and participate in my town's art scene. I'm also happy I had more time to visit with Carson and her amazing team. We had a fun time chatting about family, business, books, beads and the beading community and craft industry. It's nice to have someone local that "gets it" to talk to. I've had some interesting enlightenment during our conversations about such things as well as some confirmation on some of my own thoughts.  I feel fortunate that I have a great business owner like Carson who cares deeply about her customers, her community and local artists. I'm thrilled to pieces to now have my book sold in both of her shops. I'm proud to have her business establishment in my community and recommend it to you.   If you are ever in the New England area, Boston Bead Company is a can't-miss-it, must-visit and a must-shop bead shop!

Guitar and Bass Bangle DIY TUTORIAL

 Some things belong together: guitar and bass, ripped jeans and spikes, and silver and gold. This tasseled bangle looks at home on your wrist no matter where you are headed. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a tassel using leather lacing and metal caps. You'll also work with easy-peasy memory wire.

Purchase a kit to make this project from Ornamentea.com. Kit includes all materials and step-by-step instructions to make the bracelet. Purchase the kit here!

Ingredients:

1 strand of chrome or silver coated size 8 charlotte beads

1 strand of gold coated size 8 charlotte beads

2 antique silver 8mm bell cap w/ loop

1 pack of bracelet memory wire

36” of black 1/8” deerskin leather lace

12” of black waxed linen cord

E6000 adhesive

Tools:

Round nose pliers

Chain nose pliers

Memory wire shears (note: memory wire must be cut with special shears, it will damage regular wire cutters.)

Scissors

Ruler

Instructions:

1: Cut the leather lace into eight 2” pieces. Using a 6” piece of black waxed linen cord (shown in orange for demonstrative purposes only), bind the leather strands together by tightly wrapping around the ends. Tie the binding cord off with a square knot, pull tight and trim close to the knot as shown.

2: Fill 1 end cap half-full of glue and insert the bound leather end. Let dry. Trim the leather lace about 1” from the end cap as shown. Set aside.

3: Repeat steps 1-2 to complete the second leather tassel.

4: Cut about 6 loops of memory wire with memory wire shears. Form a simple loop at one end of the memory wire as shown.

5: Use the memory wire to string all of the chrome and gold charlotte beads as shown and form a simple loop. Attach the tassels to the simple loops and you're done.

Own this idea:

String pearls or larger glass beads on the memory wire and use chain to create tassels instead of leather.

Make a choker using necklace-sized memory wire.

Wanna see more projects like this one? Check out my new e-book, Punk Chic Jewelry: 16 DIY Jewelry Projects to Add an Urban Edge to Your Wardrobe available on Amazon.com now.

 

And to make it super easy and convenient for you to make the projects in this book, Ornamentea.com has created limited edition kits for ALL the jewelry appearing in Punk Chic Jewelry! The kits contain all the materials you need, including the step-by-step instructions. How awesome is that? Each jewelry project is available for purchase separately. You can buy a kit for just one or two of the projects you are interested in or you can get all 17 kits! 

 Click here to shop all the jewelry kits! Hurry, these are limited edition kits. Once these are gone, they may not be available again.
 
Need some inspiration for Punk Chic Style? Follow our board on Pinterest!



 Happy Creating!

Book Signing Tomorrow Night!

I'm participating in my local Salem Arts Festival starting tomorrow night! I'll be doing a book signing with Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry at Boston Bead Company in Salem, Ma. on Friday, June 6th, 2014 from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm. Please come by and say hi and enjoy some spicy refreshments!

Then, on Sunday, June 8th 2014 from 10:30 am - 1:00 pm at Boston Bead Company, I'll be offering my "Spice Trader" Triple Row Macrame Bracelet class. Learn a fun macrame knotting technique to make this colorful, spicy bracelet!
Register for class online at www.bostonbeadcompany.com

Come on out and celebrate the arts. Hope to see you there!